ANNAPOLIS – Governor Wes Moore on Jan. 17 released the Moore-Miller administration’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget proposal.

“The $63.1 billion plan follows a fiscally responsible framework to respond to the state’s budget challenges while making record investments in priorities that will make Maryland safer, more affordable, more competitive, and the state that serves,” a statement from his office said.

“This budget makes our values very clear in both what we invest and how we invest. We’ve taken action in a fiscally responsible way, studied the data and directed state resources toward proven programs that have big returns, and we’ve prioritized spending in a way that invests in our state and grows our economy in the long run,” said Gov. Moore. “We will give Marylanders the kind of leadership they know and deserve – and now, it's time to work in partnership with the Maryland General Assembly to get a final budget passed. This will be Maryland’s decade and the investments we make today will pave the way for the future we all seek.” 

The governor’s FY 2025 budget proposal shrinks the state’s structural deficit by 34%, keeps the Rainy Day Fund balance at 9.4% and flips the state’s projected cash shortfall of $1.1 billion to a positive cash balance of more than $100 million, without raising taxes for Marylanders. “The proposal directs state resources toward fighting child poverty, makes record investments in childcare, helps tackle housing supply challenges to boost population growth and support economic mobility, and bolsters our administration’s work to rebuild State government,” the statement said.

Highlights include:

Public safety

• $127 million in record funding for local law enforcement agencies; an annual increase of $5 million over last year’s budget
• $35 million in General Funds for Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) 
• $12 million for the Enhanced Services Continuum and Community Investment Initiative for justice-involved youth
• $10 million for the new Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention within the Maryland Department of Health
• $ 4.4 million increase for the Department of Juvenile Services’ Thrive Academy to expand intervention and rehabilitation services to youth who are most at-risk to be victims or perpetrators of gun violence 

Affordability

• $115 million in additional funding (a 66% increase) for priority housing and community development capital investments, including increased funding for the Homeownership Works Program; for the Baltimore Regional Neighborhoods Initiative; for the National Capital Strategic Economic Development Fund; for Rental Housing Works; for Statewide Strategic Demolition, and for Project CORE
• $270 million to support the Child Care Scholarship program
• $110 million in rental housing investments to create new housing and lift more families and children out of poverty

Education

• Record funding for PK-12 education: $9.2 billion in operating funds to support Maryland’s public schools; $906 million in capital funds to support public school construction; $160 million increase in funding to support low-income students 
• Record $2.3 billion in funding for University System of Maryland institutions
• $25 million for a higher education campus security fund
• $4.8 million increase to University of Maryland Eastern Shore to double the state-federal match for 1890 land-grant institutions

Infrastructure

• $150 million from Rainy Day fund to fund a portion of the state’s contribution to WMATA, enabling the Maryland Department of Transportation to restore proposed cuts to programs including Maryland Locally Operated Transit Systems grants and Highway User Revenue
• $20 million to support the expansion of data science and computing infrastructure at Johns Hopkins University

Economic Development

• $100 million to support the location of the new FBI headquarters in Greenbelt
• $6.4 million to support our tech economy including $1 million for Baltimore’s Tech Hub Consortium with funds and tools to compete for $70 million in federal funding; $500,000 to support the Pava LaPere Innovation Acceleration Grant Program

Service

• $13 million in additional funding for the Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation

More information about the Moore-Miller Administration’s FY 2025 proposed budget is available at dbm.maryland.gov.